Todd Kashdan on Dancing with the Dark Side of Your Personality

Psychology March 03, 2015 / By Scott Barry Kaufman

SYNOPSIS

Psychologist Dr. Todd Kashdan shares some unconventional research on how we can harness “negative” psychological characteristics to live whole, successful and fulfilling lives. Topics include the dark triad, emotional experimentation, mindfulness, education, evolution and what it means to live well.

In this episode you will hear about:

How feelings like anxiety, jealousy and selfishness can be beneficial
The functional value of exploring different emotional experiences
Scott and Todd’s campaign to encourage being “your authentic pissed off self”!
Louis C.K. and the science of bonding over things you shouldn’t say
How open monitoring meditation aids creativity
How to find happiness
Cultural perspectives on our “darker” side
How social media demotivates
How acknowledging vulnerability and nervousness can make for better outcomes
Evolutionary reasoning behind the need for our dark side
How we all display certain characteristics of darker traits in our daily routines
How the education system can be improved by encouraging mind-wandering
Positive and negative elements of narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy
“The false nose of happiness” and how to think about the good life
How expecting and preparing for the worst can make you perform at your best

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Resources:

“A recognized authority on well-being and social relationships, Dr. Todd Kashdan has published more than 150 scholarly articles and is the author of Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life and his latest book, The Upside of Your Dark Side: Why being your whole self – not just your “good” self – drives success and fulfillment . His research has been featured in several media outlets, including the New York Times and The Washington Post.” –Blurb taken from Todd’s Huffington Post page

This article originally appeared on Scientific American.

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Author

Scott Barry Kaufman

Scott Barry Kaufman is a humanistic psychologist exploring the depths of human potential. He has taught courses on intelligence, creativity, and well-being at Columbia University, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. He is interested in using his research to help all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and self-actualized life. Scott likes to share his enthusiasm and knowledge of the science of potential through his books, teaching, coaching, podcast, blog, articles, and speaking engagements. In his latest book Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization, Kaufman presents a new hierarchy of human needs for the 21st century, one that allows for the fulfillment of individual potential as well as the actualization of transcendent purpose and peak experiences. Kaufman hosts the #1 psychology podcast in the world— The Psychology Podcast— which has received over 12 million downloads and was included in Business Insider’s list of “9 podcasts that will change how you think about human behavior.” Kaufman’s writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review. Kaufman’s early educational experiences made him realize the deep reservoir of untapped potential of students, including bright and creative children who have been diagnosed with a learning disability (see the free monthly webcast “Critical Conversations on Cognitive Diversity”). Scott received a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale University, and an M. Phil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge under a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. In 2015, he was named one of “50 groundbreaking scientists who are changing the way we see the world” by Business Insider. Scott is a co-founder of The Creativity Post.

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